Tips for Blondes from Blonde

We enjoy considering ourselves the foremost blonde experts in Toronto (no, modesty is not our strong suit) and as such, we have a few bits of advice we’d like to pass along to blondes.

One thing to do before your appointment: some homework. Bring your colourist pictures of blondes you love, and even some that you don’t. Communicating with your colourist visually is language we can all understand and it leaves less room for error. (you know what we mean: you may see Taylor Swift’s blonde as a honey blonde, where as your colorist may see a combination of an ash blonde base and warm honey blonde highlights. If you only communicated with words, it could be a hairmare!)

While you’re in the chair, don’t be shy. Ask questions! This is your time with a colour expert, and we love to answer them no matter how big or small. Also, consider our suggestions. We’re professionals and we want to make you look fresh faced and beautiful. We analyze your skin tone and eye color and pick the shade just right for you. If your skin is overly rosy, a blend of cools and neutrals will keep the redness under control. Also, we may suggest a hint of warm blonde even if you are intended to be in the “cool” blonde family. A hint of warmth is youthful and softening if done right. It can take years of your face even, or even out a poor complexion if done in moderation. You are our walking ad after all!

After you’ve left the salon, follow our free hair tips (posted last week). And, it’s best to pre-book your next appointment. That way, you’ll have an appointment in the appropriate time frame suggested by your stylist to maintain your new colour. Ignore the myth that waiting a long period of time is better on your hair and wallet. When you maintain your re-growth, as opposed to completely re-doing your blonde all over, you save your hair a ton of trauma, need less product, the appointment fee is less and you are not sitting in a salon chair for hours and hours. When it comes to maintenance, be honest with your stylist. How much are you willing to deal with? If you don’t want to return to the salon every 3-6 weeks, the bulk of your blonde cannot be more than 2 shades lighter than your base. So, if you’re Kim Kardashian dark, don’t go Kim Kardashian blonde unless you are willing to see your colorist every 3-4 weeks. We may advise that you opt for a base color and face framing highlights like Jennifer Garner. This can stretch out your visit to 7-10 weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows.

A few other points to consider: blonde hair is more fragile than other colour treated hair, even if you’ve recently taken your tresses to the dark side for fall. Be gentle with it. Don’t wring out your wet hair, use a de-tangler, wide-tooth comb and gently blot your locks. Your hair is even more fragile when wet! Never blow dry naked hair. You must create a shield between your hair and the blow dryer. Our favorite for blondes is Kerastase Ciment Anti Usure. Finally, if you use a flat or a curling iron, a protection spray is a must. We recommend Kevin.Murphy Damage Manager to make sure to keep that mane hydrated and protected.

While definitely not a low-maintenance colour choice, you know what they say: blondes have more fun! We love to hear blonde questions and provide the answers so feel free to give us a shout at the salon and book an appointment for your optimum blonde consultation.